The Team

Katie Liew – Founder

After being made redundant, Katie decided to take time off and travel to Africa and developing countries, where she was able to grasp the meaning of poverty in its truest sense. Here, she rediscovered her passion for volunteering, social justice, and international aid.

All the wrong turns she’d made in her career as an accountant, was soon discovered to be a blessing in disguise, and now dedicates her time to The Underground Collaborative.

Thank you for joining us on our journey. We hope you share our vision.

Board Members

Ferdi Fourie

Ferdi brings to The Underground Collaborative a real passion for life. Having grown up on the other side of the world and moving continents has allowed him to live a life that is rich and full of experiences, shaping him to help those less fortunate in our society. This passion has led him to work in the not-for-profit sector for the last 15 years in various roles and industries, such as the music industry professional associations, international aid and the local healthcare sector.

He has extensive experience in the fundraising sector and currently works for St John WA heading up their fundraising, and also volunteers as an Executive Committee Member of The Fundraising Institute of Australia WA.

Marius Van Der Merwe – Chairman

Marius is a Partner at Butler Settineri, and specialises in audit and investigation. His portfolio includes listed companies, NFP entities, local governments and Australian financial service license holders.

As a qualified CA and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Marius has a passion for governance. He provides assurance and advisory services to Boards and senior management on financial reporting, processes and sustainability. Marius spends much of his spare time guiding NFP entities through the start up phase, and has a love for golf!

Tamara Cook

Tamara is self-confessed philanthropic events junkie, and established Known Associates Events in 2007. A highly-skilled events professional, Tamara has project managed multiple high profile events from 1000-seat black tie balls for royalty, to outdoor festivals and intimate cocktail soirees. She has a Communications degree and over 20 years of events experience in Australia and the USA.